Stripping paint and varnish remover and process of making same.



UNITED, STATES PATENT oEEicE.

PETER T. AUSTEN AND FREDERICK J. lifAYWALD, OF NEW YORK, AND FRANCIS X. OOVERS,

' Oi OWEGO, NEW YORK.

STRIPPING PAINT AND VARNISH REMOVER AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME.

Patented Nov. 19, 1907.

Application filed April 16.1907. Serial No. 368.486.

in the borough of Brooklvn, county of King's,

city and State of New York, and FRANCIS K. Govnnsa citizenof the United States, residing at Owego, county of 'lioga, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Stripping Paint and Van nish Removers and Processes of Making Same; and we hereby declare that the fol lowing is ,a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make, practice, and use the said processes and paint-removers.-

This invention relates to stripping paint removers and processes of making the same,

andconsists in a stripping or peeling paint or varnish remover having no power of softening and loosening the coating on )eint-ed or varnished surfaces and of conlescing with such softened and loosened coating tofofrm consistent leathery or rub bery masses of some degree of mechanical strength, readily removable as a whole from the coated surfaces by simply lifting and peeling or by stripping; and in processes of prepariu r such a remover; all as more fully heren'iafter set forth and as claimed.

We have discovered that the concentrated liquid fatty acids, such as acetic, formic,

propionic or butyric acid, or their substi t'ution products, singly or admixed, when treated by dissolving colloids therein, are

efficient in softening and disintegrating paint, and that neutral volatile solvents may be usefully incorporated With the removers so formed. Compound removers of this latter type are described and claimed in co-pnding applications Nos. 356,347, and 356,348, filed. February 8, 1907. .ln these compound removers, as there described and claimed, the volatile solvents form the chief component, the colloided acid serving mainly as a carrier for emulsif xinethe sol vents and impartingthe necessary consistency to adapt the removers for localized action on a paint-ed surface or for use in nonhorizontal position, though it also contributcs to the sol vent action on varnishes and paint vehicles while having a specific action on such pigments as white lend. With White lead and zinc white paints, this action of the acid becomes quite important, partly because of the loosening of the pigment particles which it effects, and partly because in somecnses incident evolution of gas causes a loosening of the paint as a whole.

70 have now discovered that by certain alterations in proportions and constituents of these colloided. acid removers, and particu larly by increasing the relative amount of colloid and of acid to that of the volatile sol' vent in the mixture, removers of a new type may be produced, having not only the power of softening, disintegrating and loosening paint and varnish but the additional 1 ower of combining with such softened and ooscned paint or varnish to form tough, coherent masses or skins which may be readily lifted and stripped or peeled as such from the coatc cl surface.

In the present invention in producing stripping removers, the proportion of colloid in the acid, and of the eolloided acid in the remover, is preferably so high as to give th remover as a whole, a relatively thick or salve-like consistency. Preferably, there is less of the volatile solvent than of the col loided acid in the remove-r, and such volatile solvent is preferably, at least in greater part, one or more of the aromatic hydrocarbons. The present application concerns such stripping or peeling removers and processes of preparing the same.

in another application, Ser. No. 568,488, filed A iii 16, 1907, we have desciibod and clainiet this process of removing paint and varnish.

' The ii'nportanco of this strippii'ig' orpeeling property of the new removers is obvious because no special care or skill on the part of the operator is required, because the time and'lalmr'involved in removing of paint and varnish is greatly decreased, and because the paint or varnish may be removed from. carved woodwork and other surfaces of ilk ti'icate contour or irregular surface without the necessity for the use of scia-ipiug or other tools; a result much to be desired since it avoids all possibility of injury to such surfaces. Upon application of the new removers to such a surface after a short time the whole coating of paint or varnish may be lift oils, tar oils, wood-tar oils,

ed and peeled or stripped off a coherent skin or mass, leaving depressions and cavities as readily as flat surfaces. The surface is left substantially clean, and after a simple wiping may be recoated or otherwise treated. Removers having this roperty of softening paint or varnish and i to the underlying surface while simultaneously forming such paint or varnish into a coherent, leathery or rubberlike film, suitable for stripping or peeling off as a whole, may be ma e with the stated colloided acids as a basis or in other ways, as hereinafter set forth.

While colloided concentrated liquid fatty acids may-be used alone, that is, Without the addition of other bodies of a solvent character, and will soften many aints or varnishes, loosen them from under ying surfaces and bind them into coherent, stripable or eelable skins or layers, they are improve for general purposes-by the addition of more or less .of other substances possessing a different solvent nature. This makes them better adapted to dealwith any paint or varnish, and with. all the constituents of any one aint or varnish. The additional solvent ody may be oneor more of the ordinary volatile solvents, such as the aromatic hydrocarbons, and particularly benzol, toluol or Xylol, which are found to be desirable addit ons as they exercise a specific softening act on upon the ordinary oily paint and varrush vehicles. But where the skin-forming result is desirable, the total proportion of volatile solvent in the mixture should not be unduly great as this would necessarily result in a diminution of the total proportion of colloid.

Colloidal bodies capable of forming tough skins other than the described proteids may be used to reinforce them orto replace them. F or the volatile solvent component of the remover any of the well-known volatile solvents usu-a-ll employed in removing paint and varnish may be here used, as for instance, benzin, methyl acetone, acetone, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, etc, fusel oil, acetone rosin oil, rosin spirit, turpentine and the like.

Incorporation of phenols in the remover, either with or without volatile solvents in addition, is also frequently useful. While phenols are solvents of quite different character in many respects from the concentrated tty acids, they share with such acids he property of being alike good paint and varnish softeners and good solvents for skinforming colloids.

Where the odor of the ordinary crude or commercial phenols is not desirable'i'n the remover, as is frequently the case, they may be preliminarily treated by reacting upon, or condensing them with the acid to be used. This may be done by simply heating the acid and the phenol to-.

oosening its adhesion gether, either with or without pressure, and with or without the presence of condensing or facilitating reagents. Dry acetate of sodium is a useful facilitating agent in condensing phenols with concentrated acetic acid as it combines with the Water present or liberated in the reaction and keeps the acid strong. Chlorid of aluminium is also useful.

The products obtained from phenols and concentrated liquid fatty acids by the described process share'the colloid-dissolving and paint-softening powers of their components, and are equally useful as ingredi cuts of the stripping or peeling removers, while they lack the strong odor of the crude phenols. As to the exact nature of the reactions which take place in" performin the described process, uncertainty exists. ome phenol ester may be formed, tliough the reaction product, herein called a condensation product for the sake of a name, still contains free acid and free henol and is acid in nature. It however acks the strong odor of the crude phenolic body used. Any of the ordinary phenols, such as carbolic or cresylic acids, or crude phenolic mixtureslike the creosotes or tar oils and the like may be employed. These phenols, such as cresylic acid, colloided by solution of colloids, such as casein, therein, are also applicable, either alone or in conjunction with suitable volatile solvents, as stripping or peeling paint removers. of their condensation products.

In preferred forms of our removers, We employ both a concentrated liquid fatty acid and a phenol, dissolving a colloid, such as casein, in either or both, enough of the colloid being preferably employedto give the resulting mass a salve-like consistency.

Such a colloided, phenolated concentrated liquid fatt5 acid makes a desirable form of stripping remover though it may be further improved for this purpose by working in some volatile solvent, preferably one or more of the aromatic hydrocarbons.

Concentrated formic or acetic acid, colloided by dissolved casein and further treated by incorporating an aromatic hydrocarbon, such as toluol, makes a very' good'form of remover. Where the stripping or peelin function is desired, however, as stated, t e amount ofthis hydrocarbon should not be unduly great, but where a mere softening action on paint or varnish is desired, the proportion may be greater, even up to a comparatively thin emulsion of The same is true such a hydrocarbon, or plurality of such h vdrocarbons, i'n'a little colloided acid. Siniilarly, colloided phenols may be employed alone or in conjunction with an aromatic solvent.

A stripping or peeling remover suitablefor our purpose may be made by dissolving 400' grains of casein in 500 cc. of glacial acetic acid and 1,000 grams of cresyiic acid. This phenolated and colloided acid may be used as it is, or 1,000 cc. of toluol or benzol may be incorporated with it. Another remover may be made from 1,000 grams of concentrated formic acid, preferably at least 90 per cent. in strength, 1,000 grams ol casein and 2,000 grams of cresyiic or carboiic acid. It is preferable to add the phenol, at least in part, to the formic acid before aiL-iing the casein, casein being so soluble in formic acid that it tends to clump and ball in an inconvenient manner when contacted with it, even in the cold. With the phenol1.)resent, solution is more regular. Vl'ith the remover so formed may be further incorporated 2,000 grams of toluohxyloi or benzol if desired. A third composition may be made i: dissolving 2,000 grams of glue or gelatin in 2,000 grams of concentrated formic acid and incorporating 2,000 grams of toiuol or benzol.

A stripping or peeling remover comprising a condensation product of the described kind may be made by heating together 600 grams of cresylic acid with 400 grams of glacial acetic acid, In the condensation product obtained 400 grams oi casein are dissolved. Thisgives a colloided stripping or peeling remover which may be further improved by working in 400 grams of toluol and 700 grams of a 10 per cent. solution of I gutta percha in benzol.

A colloided phenol suitable for the present purposes may be obtained by dissolving 2,000 grams of gelatin in 2,000 grams of cresyiic or carboiic acid. Addition of toluol or benzol improves the remover for the intended purpose.

' In their presentpreferred form, stripping or peeling removers, made with or without volatile solvents, should contain enough colloid to impart to them a fairly thick or semisolid consistency; a consistency, say, between that of a sluggishly flowing oil and that of a plastic jelly or thick salve. The pres ence of considerable colloid is of advantage to the strength and tenacity of the coherent skin or layer to be formed in and of the paint or varnish to be stripped or peeled. A salvelike consistency, moreover, is advantageous in the use of the stripping remover as it permits a thorough and even application of the remover in layers of economical and e'llicicnt thickness on all parts of the coated surface to be treated, whatever the contour or shape of such surface and irrespective whether it be horizontal, vertical or inclined. In such consistency the stripping remover 'may be applied as easily as paint and in much the same way. After it has been applied and allowed to remain a short time, the aint or varnish treated may be simply lifter and pulled oil the surface, peeling or stripping away from it in coherent layers, and leaving the interior of cavities as clean as flat surfaces. The advantages of this in treating carved surl'ac-s, moldings and the like are obvious.

The exact reactions which take place when these. stripping or peeling removers are applied to a paint or varnish, probably vary with each particular paint or varnish. it may be in the case of a typical remover which contains a fatty acid and phenol with casein dissolved therein, that the phenomena are in the nature ol one solute displacing another from solution; that the oily or resinous cornponents of the paint vehicle or varnish in a way displace the casein, throwing it out either as such, -or in some combination with these or other components of the paint or varnish, in a form adapted to produce a coherent mass of some mechanical strength, binding together the particles of the loosened and disintegrated paint or varnish. In the case of white lead paint and other paints con- 'taining pigments more or less soluble in the stated, the reactions which take place probably dillcr specifically with every specific paint or varnish and we must content ourselves with setting forth the result attained, the 'l ormation of the tough, coherent stripping or peeling skin or layer, without going into the probable reactions involved in more detail.

hat we claim is:

1. A stripping paint and varnish remover comprising a plurality of paint-softening solvents and sullicient proteid in one such solvent to give the remover a salve-like consistency.

2. A stripping paint and varnish remover comprising a plurality of paint-softening solvents, one ol said solvents being a neutral volatile solvent, and sullicient proteid matter dissolved in another solvent to give the remover a salve-like consistency.

3. A stripping paint and varnish remover comprising a plurality of paint-softening solvents and sullicient casein dissolved in one such solvent to give the remover a salve-like consistency.

4. A stripping paint and varnish removen comprising a plurality of paintsoftening sol vents, one of said solvents being a neutral volatile solvent, and sullicient casein dis solved in anothersolvent to give the remover a salve-like consistency.

5. A stripping paint and varnish remover comprising a plurality ol paint-softening solvents one of said solvents being acid in character and one being a neutral volatile solcomprising a 6. A stripping paint and varnish remover plurality of paint-softening soll vents one of said solvents being acid in char- 5 acter and one being a neutral volatile solvent, v and su'flicient dissolved casein to give the rel mover a semi-solid consistency. I 7. A stripping paint and varnish remover comprising aconcentrated liquid fatty acid, l

.a phenol and suiiicient dissolved colloid to give the remover a semi-solid consistency.

S. A stripping paint and varnish remover comprising a concentrated liquid fatty acid, a phenol and suilicient dissolved casein to I give the remover a semisolid consistency.

9. A stripping paint and varnish remover comprisingan acid reacting composition of concentrated liquid fatty acid and a phenol condensed together and a dissolved. colloid.

10. A stripping paint and varnish remover comprising an acid reactingcompositionof l concentrated liquid fatty acid and a phenol condensed together and dissolved casein.

11. A stripping paint and varnish remover comprising an acid reacting composition of a concentrated liquid fatty acid, a henol, a dissolved colloid, and neutral 'vo atile solvent. v

12. A stripping paint and varnish remover comprising a concentrated liquid fatty acid, I a phenol, dissolved casein and neutral vole-- tile solvent.

13. A paint and varnish. remover comprising a paint-softening solvent of acid characterlhaving a colloid dissolved therein and aromatic hydrocarbon.

14. A paint and varnish remover comprising a paintsoftening solvent having casein dissolved therein and aromatic hydrocarbon.

15. A paint and varnish remover compris-' ing concentrated acetic acid, a phenol'and a dissolved colloid.

16. A paint and varnish remover comprising concentrated acetic acid, a phenol and dissolved casein.

1 7. A paint and varnish remover comprisingconcentrated acetic acid, a dissolved col loid and aromatic hydrocarbon.

18. A paint and varnish remover comprising concentrated acetic acid dissolved casein and aromatic hydrocarbon.

if). A stripping paint and varnish remover comprising concentrated acetic acid, an aromatic paint softening solvent and enough dissolved colloid to givethe remover a semisolid consistency.

20'. A stripping paint and varnish remover comprising concentratedlacetic acid, an aro matic paint softening solvent and enough dissolved casein to give the remover a semisolid consistency.

21. The process of paint and varnish remover WhlClflCOIHPllSBS mixing a concentrated liquid fatty acid and phenol and dissolving a colloid therein.

The process of preparing a strippingl and a phenol together-and nol, dissolw'ng casein therein heating t preparing a stripping process of preparing a stripping process 'of preparing a stripping fatty acid and a phenol together and dissolving casein therein.

25. The process of preparing a stripping paint and varnish. remover which comprises mixing concentrated acetic acid and a phenol and dissolving a colloid therein.

' 26. The process of preparing a stripping paint and varnish remover which comprises mixing concentrated acetic acid and a phenol and dissolving casein therein.

'27. The process of preparing a stripping paint and. varnish remover which comprises mixing and heating concentrated acetic acid dissolving a colloid therein. a

28. The paint and varnish remover which comprises mixing and heating concentrated acetic acid and a phenol together and dissolving casein therein.

29. The process of preparing a stripping paint and process of preparing a stripping varnish remover which comprises I mixing a concentrated fatty acid and a phenol,

dissolving a colloid therein and subse-j quently Working in neutral. volatile solvent.

30. The

quently Working in volatile solvent.

31. The process of mixing a concentrated fatty acid and a.phe-.

nol, dissolving a colloid therein and subse quently working in volatile solvent. 32. The process ofpreparing a paint retrat-ed 1i I preparing a stripping 'pamt'and varnish remover'which compr1ses which comprises mixing a concern, 1

uid fattyacid and .a phenol ande mixture to condense anddeo-I -dorize the same and subsequently incorpo process of preparing a strippingv paint and-varnish remover which comprises mixing a concentrated fatty acid and a pheand subse rating other bodies capable of a ng on it paint and varnish. v

33. A paint removercomprisiiigjtlie prod-j ucts of reaction of a concentrated liquid fattyacid and a phenol heated together, and also other bodies reacting on paint and varnish.

In testimony Whe'reof We affix our signatures, in the presence of two Witnesses.

' PETER T. AUSTEN.

FREDERICK J. MAYWALD.

FRANCIS X. GOVER S.

' -Witnesses:

' MARTIN E. Srmnn,

K. P. MoELRoY. 

